Competitive canoeing shaped Paul Lombard’s life. Literally and figuratively. But it all happened because of a drought. Gerrit Rautenbach explains. You can clearly see that Paul Lombard, proud manager director of Eve Brand, an apple and pear farm near Misgund…
On 13 March, Hortgro attended the International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA’s) Fresh Solutions event to learn about the latest developments in the logistics landscape, how to plan for exports ahead of a bumper deciduous season, as well as challenges with…
By Mariette Kotzé A recent enquiry regarding how empowerment transactions work sparked this article. There are so many factors and variables to consider. It can be very complex or quite simple depending on your exposure and or understanding of business…
On 14 September 2019 Normat Farms’ Ladies Choir achieved first place for the second year running at the Koue-Bokkeveld Training Centre’s choir evening. They are truly a choir of note, but it didn’t happen overnight. Gerrit Rautenbach reports. The whole…
South African apples already compete successfully in international markets. How can the industry further improve fruit quality? By Anna Mouton. The experiences of some growers during the recent season again demonstrated how even slight post-harvest defects can lead to significant…
This extract serves to unpack the intensive year-long beekeeping management required to prepare for pollination as presented at the pollination webinar on 31 May 2022. Deciduous fruit, berry and seed plantings are expanding rapidly each year, driving the need for…
A new Hortgro-funded initiative will extract more value from existing research investment. By Anna Mouton. South Africa has been called a world in one country partly thanks to our diverse natural environment. This might be great for tourists but poses…
Provar’s well-known fruit tastings showcase the latest cultivars and selections that belong to IP representatives and fruit breeders. The fruit tasting provides an opportunity for industry and consumers to taste, discuss and see the samples, simultaneously Provar gains valuable insight…
Consumers want uniformly dark green Granny Smith apples without blemishes. What light environment in the canopy will produce this result? Granny Smith is among the top three apple cultivars planted in South Africa, accounting for 13% of the total area…
By Elise-Marie Steenkamp In a career that spanned more than five decades, horticulturist Buks Nel, wondered about many things in life…and more specifically about apple trees. He has solved many plant riddles, made new discoveries (including his now-famous Bigbucks apple…
The full story — from orchard to shelf You pick up a bag of apples at your local supermarket, glance at the price, and think: seriously? It’s just fruit. But that reaction overlooks a surprisingly complex story that begins months…
From early on in her life, the odds were not necessarily in Elize Lambrechts Boer’s favour. But she refused to let it get to her. She never accepted her situation as fate. She looked life square in the eyes and…